it's not the cover artist's fault that he has to depict the same main character book after book--a guy who is known by his hat and his staff... but if you want to make fun of this series, just say: "harry blackstone copperfield dresden, chicago's first (and only) wizard p.i."

Harry's weapon of choice is a staff. It helps him focus his fire power. Plus he's only totally awesome and the first PI I ever read about who believes you should actually care about the women you're sleeping with. Harry doesn't f**k around when it comes to the chicks. So for all his phallic symbols, he's not a player.

Well, it's phallic, but really only in the way wizards' staffs (long pieces of wood that shoot fire, after all) are inherently so. In terms of the books, they're perfect, because it's his signature weapon.

The English major in me has to point out Butcher's thing for super-chivalric protagonists. They may not be players, but they are super-protective (not in a chauvinistic) manly men (although I haven't read the Codex Alera books yet, I have read non-Dresden Butcher stuff). So on a practical level it makes sense that Harry Dresden is carrying his staff and the Alera guy has a sword, but on a deeper level it makes sense too, since his dudes do seem to be pretty rugged and manly.

you know this thing in the advertising world is well known as brand recognition...i wonder how well the artist has come out with it...you see the sword and the stave and there you know that its him...well something like this caught my eyes with certain books of John Grisham - of which i have a small collection purchased online frm a1books.co.in...the thriller author has something of the same in his covers depicting his thriller story stuffs and its quiet justifiable i suppose...what say!!!

Zeph - I think it's actually kind of a wide-brimmed cowboy's hat with a fedora flare. (To involk detective-like stereotypes.) After all, people are always telling Harry, because of his coat, that he looks like "He just stepped out of El Dorado" and other cowboy references.

As far as I can tell, there are only two characters between all these covers. One has a staff (cuz he's a wizard) and the other has swords (cuz he's a warrior). What else would they be doing with their hands on the covers? Reading a book? Doing jazzhands? Making a cat's cradle? There's only so many things someone can hold that AREN'T phallic.

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Just what, exactly, is Judge a Book by its Cover?

I worked in a public library. I saw literally thousands of books every week; the good, the bad, and the truly hideous. These are the covers from the latter category. Joining me (Maughta) is the ever-popular pinch hitter (and handy husband) DocTurtle.

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